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One of the three largest marine exhibits in Florida keeps sea mam- 

 mals in an environment which violates the deep instinctual needs of 

 the animals. A staff of four animals handlers, some of whom have only 

 slight training, are responsible for the care and training of 24 sea 

 mammals and numerous other animals including wildcats, birds, alli- 

 gators, turtles, and fish. This exhibit enjoys wide popularity. Yet, it 

 presents the public with only the sparest notion of sea mammal be- 

 havior. Animals are confined to dismal, murky tanks. Animal per- 

 formances emphasize clownish behavior and feats of strength which 

 in repetition may damage their bodies. At the same exhibit, there are 

 four sea lions kept in quarters so small the animals haven't reached 

 full growth, nor do they vocalize. This aberrant behavior, I believe, 

 is a result of being kept in substandard conditions. 



Recently, during the seizure of red tide which plagued Florida's 

 gulf coast, an employee of the same exhibit opened a valve improperly 

 and admitted contaminated Gulf of Mexico waters into the exhibit's 

 shark canal. Consequently, an entire population of 10 sharks and sev- 

 eral stingrays died. It shouldn't have happened to the sharks. A mis- 

 take, you say, but not long ago at the same place, two sea lions died, 

 thrashing in pain because of an overchlorinated tank. 



These animals for the most part are kept in small, crowded, and 

 dirty holding tanks. Abusive training methods are also standard parts 

 of the trade — starvation of the animals being an almost universal 

 practice. 



In a commercial exhibit in the Florida Keys, 11 dolphin have died 

 since January 1970 ; reason — poor care and malnutrition, resulting in 

 pneumonia. 



Of three dolphin shipped to Europe a few months ago, two died in 

 the back of a truck of carbon monoxide poisoning while their handler, 

 who, under Florida guidelines should have been with them, rode safely 

 in the cab. This handler still retains her permit, even after this flagrant 

 violation. The surviving dolphin, if still alive, no doubt lives alone, a 

 poor fate for a social animal such as the bottlenosed dolphin. 



Last year, in Florida waters, 215 dolphin were reported captured. 

 Fifty-five died prior to sale. I'm told this many captured dolphin 

 could very well represent the total birth production of 4,000 to 5,000 

 animals. We don't even yet know how many animals there now are in 

 Florida waters. 



At a large west coast public acquarium, five narwhals have been 

 captured and transported from the Arctic during the past year. 

 They've all died. 



The sad history of the killer whale reads like this : In 1964, the first 

 was captured. Now there are about 19 in captivity, only about one-half 

 of which have adequate holding facilities in which to live. Most can't 

 even stand upright or maneuver in their tanks. 



The commercial exploitation of sea mammals as cheap, captive per- 

 formers must end. And this committee should enact those portions of 

 the legislation now before it, which would prevent the taking of ma- 

 rine mammals by irresponsible institutions, both public and private.. 



There are alternatives to the present system. I'd like to explain the 

 success that I, my wife Nina, and our staff at Seamamm, have had over 

 the period of the last 4 years. While we talk, if the coramittee has suffi- 

 cient interest, I can project a short film which exemplifies, I think, the 



